BEVERLY HILLS — Tracy Spiridakos knows her way around a crossbow. And a sword. And a fair amount of guns.

“No luck on a bow and arrow though,” said the actress, who plays Charlie Matheson on NBC’s “Revolution.” The post-apocalyptic sci-fi series puts forth the question, what happens when the power goes out? The show, which also features Billy Burke and Giancarlo Esposito, was recently picked up for a second season.

Spiridakos, a Canadian born actress, sat down with the Journal at the Four Seasons Hotel to talk about the remaining season one episodes, what she would do if the power went out, and what’s going on with her love interest.

The Wall Street Journal: Throughout the course of the first season your character, Charlie, has really done a lot of growing.

Tracy Spiridakos: She’s evolving from this sweet girl on a farm and maturing into a protector and defender. That’s the most exciting part, watching the growth of Charlie. She’s a little naive and a little wide -eyed at some spots. She grows quickly though, and uses what she’s experienced to make the choices she’s made going forward. It is very a cool way for the writers to have written her, rather than meeting her already as this tough chic. The layers, I get to play her vulnerable and play her strong.

You are picking up swords and guns. How has your training changed from your crossbow days?

The crossbow is easy because it is more of a point and shooter. Our schedule is pretty full on; we don’t rehearse a lot. We literally learn the fight sequences right before we do them. I pick up choreography pretty well. On my days off I try and do what I can, I do yoga or go for a run.

How realistic is this idea of a higher power/government shutting off the power?

I think it is a very cool idea. Whether the power goes away, how we’ve created it or if it’s a natural catastrophe, it’s a very realistic thing. Anything can happen at a moment’s notice. It’s fun to think that way. You just get into warrior mode right away. You think about your family, your loved ones. Most people live where their parents are. For me it’s like I have to go back to Canada, I have to find my way back up there.

You look a bit too clean to be fighting and tromping through the backwoods.

Something things are above our choices. I more than happy to get thrown in the dirt and get a little messed up. That’s great to me and fun. But it is the way it is, we just roll with it. I personally don’t think it’s not pretty to be a little greasy and have a little dirt on you or anything like that. I think there’s another kind of beauty in that. To me, I couldn’t care less if I had dirt on my face. You’ll see we get a little dirty and messy. But just because there’s no electricity doesn’t mean people can’t bathe. They can take care of themselves.

There’s a lot of carnage and bloodshed. Do you think it’s realistic?

There’s no one answer for that question. I don’t know. One thing that does echo, there’s always love at the heart of it. All the characters do is for the love around them, whenever there is an opportunity to help and save somebody there’s always the heart and the love of it. When push comes to shove, everyone comes together for each other. That’s a beautiful thing about humanity.

You and Jason (JD Pardo) have had quite a relationship. It seems to be heating up.

He’s around more. And he does prove his loyalty to us in the last episode. But he’s still done some stuff that is not worthy, but he’s proving himself.